1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus and method and a distribution medium and particularly to an information processing apparatus and method and a distribution medium which can read and display the alternative data different from the data to be intrinsically displayed when the data read from a tag comprising a non-contact type memory cannot be displayed normally.
2. Description of Related Art
Recently, an information processing apparatus which is accessible to a tag comprising a non-contact type memory (hereinafter referred to only as tag) is spreading widely. FIG. 10 illustrates a block diagram of an information processing apparatus of the related art which is accessible to tag. In FIG. 10, when a storage medium (video cassette, for example) on which a tag 102 is adhered is loaded or placed nearer in the predetermined distance to an information processing apparatus 101, a read writer 111 reads data of the predetermined address (area) of the memory comprised in the tag 102 via an antenna 112. The data read from the memory is then converted to the predetermined format by the read writer 111 and is then supplied to OSD (On Screen Display) section 113. The OSD section 113 converts the data supplied from the read writer 111 to the data which can be displayed by the display section 114.
FIG. 11 illustrates a data format of tag 102. The address in the horizontal direction is structured by 16 bytes 8from address 0 to address 15). As shown in FIG. 11, data of tag 102 is structured by memory management information area 121, media information area 122 and program information area 123. Depending on the data area, character code is stored (for example, character code 124 of the program information area 123) in order to designate the characters to be displayed on the display section 114.
Moreover, a program title is written as the data suggesting recorded content in the predetermined area of the program information area 123. This title is expressed, in the case of English, by the character code defined by one byte but expressed, in the case of Japanese, by the character code of defined by two bytes.
However, when the tag 102 for storing data expressed by the character code defined by two bytes (for example, Japanese) is loaded or placed nearer to the information processing apparatus of the related art supporting only the character code defined by one byte (for example, English), there rises a problem that the display section 114 does not display data or displays, if it is realized, quite different characters (illegal characters).
Considering such background, the present invention has been proposed. Namely, if the information processing apparatus cannot display the data read from a tag, it can display alternative data different from the data to be intrinsically displayed. Moreover, the information processing apparatus can display such situation. Moreover, the apparatus notifies the condition that display is impossible, using a warning sound.
An information processing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention corresponds to the information processing apparatus accessible to a non-contact type storage device comprising judging means for judging whether data being stored in the storage device can be displayed or not; reading means for reading alternative data from the storage device when the data is judged not to be displayed by the judging means; converting means for converting the alternative data read by the reading means to the data to be displayed; and display controlling means for making control to display the data converted by the converting means.
An information processing method according to a second embodiment of the invention corresponds to the information processing method of an information processing apparatus accessible to a non-contact type storage device, comprising judging step for judging whether data being stored in the storage device can be displayed or not; reading step for reading alternative data from the storage device when the data is judged not to be displayed in the judging step; converting step for converting the alternative data read in the reading step to the data to be displayed; and display controlling step for making control to display the data converted in the converting step.
A distribution medium according to the invention corresponds to the distribution medium providing a program for causing an information processing apparatus accessible to a non-contact type storage device to execute the processes including judging step for judging whether data being stored in the storage device can be displayed or not; reading step for reading alternative data from the storage device when the data is judged not to be displayed by the judging step; converting step for converting the alternative data read in the reading step to the data to be displayed; and display controlling step for making control to display the data converted in the converting step.
In the information processing apparatus of the first embodiment, the judging means judges whether data stored in the storage device can be displayed or not and the reading means reads, when the judging means judges that data cannot be displayed, the alternative data from the storage device, the converting means converts the alternative data read by the reading means to the data to be displayed and the display controlling means controls to display the data converted by the converting means.
In the information processing method of the second embodiment and the program provided on a distribution medium according to the invention, it is judged in the judging means that the data stored in the storage device can be displayed or not, alternative data is read in the reading step when it is judged that data cannot be displayed in the judging step, the alternative data read by the reading step is converted to the data to be displayed in the converting step and the data converted in the converting step is controlled to be displayed in the display controlling step.